AGRICULTURE MINISTER ANNOUNCES VOTE ON BARLEY MARKETING

OTTAWA – Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, today commended Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl for announcing a forthcoming plebiscite on the marketing of barley.

“While our new government is committed to providing marketing choice to western grain farmers, we are also committed to preserving a strong Canadian Wheat Board,” said Breitkreuz. “We have also stressed the importance of input from everyone involved, and this plebiscite will provide an avenue for that input.”

Word of the plebiscite comes following the release of the report submitted by the task force assembled to recommend options for implementing marketing choice for western wheat and barley. The task force recommended a four-stage transition from a Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) with monopoly powers to a marketing choice environment. While the task force recommended legislation as the first stage of the transition, Canada's new government is instead asking Canadian farmers to express their views. The plebiscite will be held in the New Year.

“Western Canadian wheat and barley growers have been unable to have a say in the marketing of their grain since the Canadian Wheat Board became a single-desk buyer,” said Breitkreuz. “On January 23rd, 2006, Canadians voted for change and told us they wanted marketing choice for western Canadian wheat and barley producers. We are delivering on that promise. We are listening to the opinions of farmers on marketing choice.

The Minister of Agriculture will develop a plebiscite question that is clear, and that will be decided on by a broad base of voters.

“Western Canadian wheat and barley producers have a world-class product, and we see a bright future for producers with a voluntary Wheat Board,” said Breitkreuz.

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